<p>My stupid regular bus did not come, so I’m just escaping downtown. I have to get to the library tonight to do some research, so no running. We had a crazy busy weekend with two totally different visitors coming who both needed to be entertained (one was into outdoors and the other needed some shopping done). We would have made it to Muir if we weren’t afraid that it could kill our guest. Instead, we walked about two miles up the steep trail, and then turned around after reaching snow at about six thousand feet. The weather was simply amazing: not a single cloud above Mt Rainier.</p>
<p>BC:</p>
<p>I think all these shirts are made in the same sweatshops and are, for all intents and purposes, identical other than the styling.</p>
<p>For running after dark, check out this Firefly stuff by Road ID. It’s priced right. Shipping is free. And the products are very high quality.</p>
<p>[Road</a> ID® Firefly®: Firefly Supernova, Supernova Wrist, Belt, Wrist, Ankle, Laces](<a href=“Shop > Active Lifestyle - ROAD iD”>Shop > Active Lifestyle - ROAD iD)</p>
<p>The flashing red LED light is mucho bright. I wore it on the back strap of my bike helmet in the daytime last weekend and you can see it from a long way away. Just clips to your shirt or whatever. The bike makes me more nervous than walking because, riding with the traffic, you wouldn’t even see them before they mow you down. At least walking against traffic, you’d have a chance to dive for the ditch.</p>
<p>The 3M reflective wrist bands, ankle bands, and belt are equally good products.</p>
<p>I’ll only run on a track outdoors in the dark and it better be lit.</p>
<p>I’m not so much interested in walking at night as I am being prepared for the fact that it gets pretty dark by 4:30 pm and can be murky well before that. Even in the summer, I would find myself a little nervous finishing up a walk at sunset. I don’t walk high traffic areas, but you could get mowed down on my cul de sac if you have nothing to help them see you.</p>
<p>I felt safer on the bike last weekend just having the flashing red light. I saw a guy on a bike with one a couple of weeks ago and it made a huge difference. They are welcome to think I look like a dork as long they don’t run me over.</p>
<p>I did my strength & core workout today, and I didn’t cheat :)</p>
<p>Way to go blankmind! Hooray for you!!! Still haven’t stepped up to do a consistent core program. Someday! ;)</p>
<p>Strangest thing…I weigh myself every day and for the past 6 and a half months I have never weighed the same on any given date. I have always varied by a few ounces up or down. I have weighed EXACTLY the same for the past 5 days even though my workout has varied a little, my water intake has varied and so has my calories. Things like that fascinate me…I know…lame.</p>
<p>I did a little bonus weight lifting while watching the Pats on Monday Night Football. Just sitting on the stability ball, doing some dumbbell shoulder presses and then lying on the ball doing some bench presses and one set of flys lying on the ball. I wanted to use some heavier weights than I can handle as part of an exercise circuit. Kinda rainy and drizzly here with better weather towards the end of the week, so I think I’m on tap for another round of Mixed Martial Arts pyramid intervals on the Airdyne for today’s workout. Starting that workout is similar to what I imagine deciding to jump out the door of an airplane must be like. On the other hand, I like that I wore the jeans that were tight six weeks ago without a belt and literally had a pants on the ground moment this morning as they slid off my hips. So, Airdyne intervals, here I come!</p>
<p>I am finding that it has been easier for me to stick with an exercise schedule than I expected and harder to eat healthy, especially with desserts which have always been my weakness. I’m involved in musical theatre here and I have rehearsal 4 days a week, which involve a fair amount of movement and dancing to begin with, but I’ve been exercising the other 3 days a week (two days pilates, 1 day weights and cardio, plus just walking a lot now that I’m on a campus where that’s a necessity) and that’s worked out fine.</p>
<p>And I’ve been eating healthier in general. I’ve basically stopped eating bread, especially white bread, and that was a big thing for me, and I’ve been good about carbs in general. I’m finding it easy to make sure that half my plate is salad and the other half is generally healthy as well. It’s really just the damn desserts that I’m having such a hard time resisting.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Good luck. I’ve got a particular challenge on workout pants because I’m short. The normal track suit and warm up pants are cut way long to begin with and I’m dragging them in the dirt. I have to go with the sweat pant style with elastic around the ankle. This leaves me out of bargain shopping for warm up pants.</p>
<p>I did just get a pair of Brooks running pants. They make their Spartan II pant in three lengths – short, medium, and tall. The short version fits me perfectly. These are really killer workout pants – not stretchy tights (unless you are really fat), but standard track suit pants in a lightweight somewhat stretchy polyester spandex material with zipper side pockets, zipper leg openings, and some 3M reflective piping. These are really ideal for this week’s weather – in the 50s. Too cold for shorts, but not freezing. The problem is that the pricing on this stuff is crazy.</p>
<p>If you can wear regular pants with a 31 or 32 inch inseam, you can do some bargain hunting at Marshalls and TJ Maxx. Even the mesh basketball type warmup pants would work fine. They are just too long for me and the zipper opening at the bottom makes them nearly impossible to hem.</p>
<p>At the other end of the scale, WalMart sells a two pack of Fruit of the Loom cotton sweat pants for $14. These are heavy if you sweat and get them wet, but for cooler weather, it’s hard to beat the comfort or the price. These are somewhat lighter weight than the Champion versions and probably better for exercise. I wore a pair for my exercise circuits and intervals yesterday and they were fine.</p>
<p>[Walmart.com:</a> Fruit of the Loom - Men’s Fleece Sweatpants, 2-Pack: Men](<a href=“http://www.walmart.com/ip/Fruit-of-the-Loom-Men-s-Fleece-Sweatpants-2-Pack/7679922]Walmart.com:”>http://www.walmart.com/ip/Fruit-of-the-Loom-Men-s-Fleece-Sweatpants-2-Pack/7679922)</p>
<p>I also found a polartech fleece version of the classic sweat pants. It’s easy to find midweight Polartech 200 fleece pants (for hiking to the South Pole), but these are very lightweight, thin 100 weight fleece. These are super lightweight, super comfy, and should make great walking running pants as the weather gets decided colder. REI and others sell $50 versions, but these for $19.99 are a good deal. They run large and they are 100% synthetic so they won’t shrink. For running or exercise, you might want to buy a size smaller. </p>
<p>[Campmor</a> Men’s Microfleece Pants, 35933 | Pants | Men | CLOTHING | items from Campmor.](<a href=“http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___35933]Campmor”>http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___35933)</p>
<p>The find of the winter is the same basic super lightweight polartech fleece at LL Bean – basically a lightweight “sweatshirt” in thin synthetic fleece. Incredibly comfortable, lightweight, moisture wicking, with an iPod pocket. I think these are going to be fantastic for walking (or running) on cold days, either worn as a shirt or over a lightweight shirt or under a jacket/shell. These are a bargain at $19.95 with some clearance colors at $14.95. There’s also a quarter-zip turtle neck version. These things scream NEW HAMPSHIRE! They are so comfortable that I like wearing them as shirts to lounge around the house. Perfect for keeping the thermostat dialed back in true Yankee fashion!</p>
<p>[Fitness</a> Fleece, Crewneck: Sweaters and Sweatshirts at L.L.Bean](<a href=“Fitness Fleece, Crewneck | at L.L.Bean”>Fitness Fleece, Crewneck | at L.L.Bean)</p>
<p>[Fitness</a> Fleece, Crewneck: Fleece and Sweatshirts at L.L.Bean](<a href=“http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/60882?parentCategory=506776&feat=506776-tn&cat4=506775]Fitness”>Fitness Fleece, Crew Neck | Sweatshirts & Fleece at L.L.Bean)</p>
<p>[Fitness</a> Fleece, Quarter-Zip Pullover: Fleece and Sweatshirts at L.L.Bean](<a href=“Fitness Fleece, Quarter-Zip Pullover | Sweatshirts & Fleece at L.L.Bean”>Fitness Fleece, Quarter-Zip Pullover | Sweatshirts & Fleece at L.L.Bean)</p>
<p>Well, that’s good motivation for me. I snuck down to the fitness center and tried out the Smith Machine for the military press and squats. It was very easy to set up. The plates are on the outside of the cage on three metal pegs. You just move them to the barbell. A locking cuff isn’t needed (I checked with the fitness center manager). The only minor negative on the military press is that I can’t extend my arms all the way up as it hits the top of the machine. I need three more inches. It’s fine though. I get enough of the exercise as is.</p>
<p>It’s great for squats. So I can do this pretty easily now and I can add weight easily too. I generally don’t change the weights on the barbell at home because it is such a pain to do so.</p>
<p>I have one of these shirts. It’s lightweight, warm, zips up to your neck and sheds water quickly. The only downside is the price. It will also show every molecule of fat on you too.</p>
<p>[CW-X</a> Insulator Zip T-Shirt - Long-Sleeve - Men’s from Backcountry.com](<a href=“http://www.backcountry.com/cw-x-insulator-zip-t-shirt-long-sleeve-mens]CW-X”>http://www.backcountry.com/cw-x-insulator-zip-t-shirt-long-sleeve-mens)</p>
<p>I actually bought it for wearing when it’s cold out; not really for working out. But it might be useful when it gets colder.</p>
<p>Diets don’t work if you feel that you are denying yourself something. You might try going for smaller portions. One other thing would be to figure out the aspect of dessert that you like and seeing if you can find a substitute.</p>
<p>BC:</p>
<p>That’s a compression shirt, aka sausage casing. I don’t buy those. I’ll let Tiger Woods and the Venice Beach muscle guys wear 'em. A 56 year old geezer has no business in a compression shirt. </p>
<p>All of the companies make long sleeve tech shirts – in crew neck or half-zip like that one – in relaxed and semi-fitted fit instread of the compression fit. That’s more the look I want. There are racks of those kinds of shirts at Marshall’s and TJ Maxx, although the quarter zip varieties are often $29.95. You can usually tell the “compression fit” shirts just by looking at them.</p>
<p>A lot of running companies make two versions: one very lightweight, and one a bit more substantial with zippered pockets and stuff. They can all be worn alone or on top of a t-shirt or under a jacket. Here are the two versions in the Brooks line:</p>
<p>[Brooks</a> Men’s Podium Half-Zip II Nightlife](<a href=“http://www.runningwarehouse.com/descpageMRA-BMPHZ2N.html#]Brooks”>http://www.runningwarehouse.com/descpageMRA-BMPHZ2N.html#)
[Brooks</a> Men’s Infiniti Half Zip Nightlife](<a href=“http://www.runningwarehouse.com/descpageMRA-BMIZN.html#]Brooks”>http://www.runningwarehouse.com/descpageMRA-BMIZN.html#)</p>
<p>I’m not sure I really like the zipper configuration as well as the regular crew neck long sleeve shirts, especially if they are double the price.</p>
<p>teenage:</p>
<p>I’ve pretty much taken deserts out of the equation for now, but when I have indulged on this diet thing, I’ve taken very small portions and really nursed them, savoring each bite. That way I eat a quarter as much than when I used to dig in like a famished wild animal.</p>
<p>In a college setting where it’s all you can eat, you might want to consider desert or pasta one night a week or something like that. It just depends how much you are trying to lose weight. Just getting empty bread calories out of your diet is a big head start.</p>
<p>teenage…a good dessert alternative is the sugarfree Jello double chocolate pudding. You can eat it by itself or dip some strawberries or raspberries in it. Really satisfies! Another tip is to go ahead and have a square of really good dark chocolate…but just one square! Good Luck!</p>
<p>I use apples, oranges, bananas and pistachio nuts for desert now.</p>
<p>Those shirts look very fashionable. They also have the thumbholes to keep your wrist warm.</p>
<p>Ran six. Scale said 203.5. Must be the additional strength work or something. Or a big fluctuation from yesterday.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t say that the Brooks stuff is particularly fashionable. More hard-core form and function for runners. They make it in normal colors, of course, but they are big on their Nightlife thing – very bright neon colors and 3M reflective materials.</p>
<p>I did another brutal session of these pyramid intervals. These things pack quite a whallop in 32 minutes, plus 5 minutes of warm up and 5 minutes of cool down.</p>
<p>I think I have a kidney stone. All the symptoms. Haven’t bike’d for 2 days.
Maybe the aftermath of falling off the fifth rung of a ladder?</p>
<p>That’s supposed to be VERY painful!!! Ouch! Have you gone to see the dr???</p>
<p>Anyone going to wade into the liposuction thread?</p>